Grenaby teenager Lola Bass claimed a class win at the prestigious Horse of The Year Show in Birmingham recently.

Riding her own pony, Landslow Melody Maker, the 15-year-old jumped one of only two clear rounds out of 18 starters in the National Pony Society/Mole Valley Farmers 143cm Working Hunter Pony of the Year class.

A pupil at King William’s College during the week, she spends most weekends journeying back and forth to the UK for training and to compete in events.

She was based in Shropshire for most of the season with showing producer Sarah Challinor.

Lola and her 12-year-old Connemara mare picked up their Horse of The Year Show qualification in mid-June after winning their qualifying class at the Malvern Three Counties Show, continuing to train and compete at various other shows across the country notching up notable victories along the way.

‘She’s always so willing and she just wants to please,’ said Lola, who has been partnered with the mare for four years.

‘This year she was Desert Orchid champion at the British Show Pony Society (BSPS) championships and she was placed at the Royal International Horse Show,’ added Lola in an interview with Horse and Hound.

‘She’s been such a consistent mare. The track was testing and up-to-height, but it jumped nicely if you rode the right lines.

‘My heart was racing as the commentator was calling the numbers out.’

The pair were also members of the winning England team in the BSPS inter-country contest.

It was Lola’s third appearance at the Horse of the Year. Her nine-year-old brother Tommy made his debut the same week.

l Lola and Tommy are second cousins to recently-crowned FEI Eventing World Champion Yasmin Ingham.